Per Mertesacker is entrusted with the job of collecting fines from Arsenal players in breach of club discipline but the German may find himself going cap in hand to manager Arsene Wenger for his place in the team.

Steven Gerrard: Stage is set for Daniel Sturridge to claim England place

Steven Gerrard has challenged his Liverpool teammate Daniel Sturridge to stay fit and in form to claim a place in the England attack ahead of next month's crunch World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking after Tuesday's 0-0 draw in Ukraine, which moved England one point clear at the top of their qualifying group, Gerrard told reporters. "The stage is set for Daniel if he can get himself fit," Gerrard added. "He is in terrific form."

Gerrard said the return of Sturridge and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will bolster England's attack ahead of their final two Group H games against Montenegro and Poland.

"I think we lacked a little bit of a cutting edge in the final third, against Ukraine, but that isn't a worry because there are some big players missing for England at the moment," the England captain said.

"If we can get Rooney and Sturridge fit they will be two big players for us, and they are the type of players you will need to break down the two teams we are coming up against.

"Our record is quite good at Wembley. We proved that by beating Brazil there so if we defend as we did against Ukraine and have a little bit more of that cutting edge in the final third, we will get there. I am really confident we can get the job done."

Sturridge, who has scored in three consecutive league games for table-topping Liverpool at the start of this season was the expected replacement for Rooney when he was ruled out ahead of the Moldova and Ukraine matches, but the 24-year-old had to pull out himself because of a thigh problem.